Broken
by RockerBabe414
Summary: Ranger returns from the wind Broken. Can Steph fix him? Babe fic


**Broken**

**Pairing:** Steph and Ranger

**Warnings/Spoilers:** Brief mentions of torture and nightmares brought on by PTSD. Mild swearing.

**Summary:** Ranger comes back from a mission broken. Can Steph help? Babe fic

I wrote this ages (maybe two years) ago, and only just rediscovered it. Typed straight from the notebook of my 13 year old self, so it's definitely not my best work, but remember loving the story as I wrote it.

Also, I have a poll on my profile that I desperately need a reply to. Please?

Any who…

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When Ranger came back from the wind, I knew something was up. Ranger was a cryptic man before his mysterious leave of absence, but something was different, it felt off.

He was more closed off and private to his men than ever before, and even his core team and me.

Not that that was unusual, but before he left, he and I were getting so much closer.

Morelli and I were officially off for good, and Ranger and I seemed to be making steady progress.

The night before he left, I stayed with him in his apartment.

It was nothing more than kissing, but it felt so special.

More intimate than imaginable.

I fell asleep in his arms as we lay there spooning, his front to my back, and I felt totally content.

But since he had been back, nothing else had happened.

He almost seemed to be ignoring me. I knew something had to be wrong.

While Ranger was away I had been working at Rangeman almost full time, doing skip searches, helping Tank with clients and the odd distraction.

Work down at the bonds office was slow, and I enjoyed working with the guys.

A couple of weeks after Ranger's return, he still hadn't recovered from whatever had happened whilst he was in the wind, and I was worried.

I decided that I had to talk to him, to make sure he was okay.

I went to his office at lunchtime, expecting to find him there, but no such luck.

I found Tank and asked if Ranger was with a client or something.

"Sorry Bomber, but I haven't seen him all day," he said, then smiled, "I thought he was with you." He chuckled until he saw the serious expression on my face.

"Tank, something's wrong with Ranger. He's more closed off then when he left, he spends all his time in his office alone or beating the crap out of everyone on the mats. He looks like he hasn't slept in weeks and he's barely even spoken to me."

By the end of this I was bawling, tears rolling down my cheeks as Tank pulled me to him.

He held me close until my tears had subsided.

When I had calmed down enough, he pulled away and began to speak.

"You're right, Bombshell. I don't know what went down on that mission, but it must have been some very bad shit. He needs someone to talk to. I think he's still up on 7. Did you want me to go with you?"

I just shook my head. "Thank you, Tank," I said, leaning up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

0-0-0-0-0

As I entered Ranger's apartment I knew something was off.

It was normally so well kept and stunningly clean, thanks to his housekeeper Ella.

But it wasn't so.

The flat screen TV had a fist size hole, as did numerous other pieces of furniture.

Papers, clothing and broken crockery littered the floor.

Tank was right. Some very bad shit must have gone down.

The whole apartment was dark except for a soft light emitting from behind the bedroom door. I slowly crept towards the room, and was shocked at what I saw.

Ranger was lying in his bed, tangled in his desirable sheets.

He was fast asleep, but had a pained expression on his face.

He rolled over slightly, exposing paper thin scars on his cheek and neck.

"Stop, please," he mumbled.

He tried to move, but he just got more tangled in the sheets.

"Babe, oh no babe," he said, horror etched on his beautiful features.

"Don't hurt her, please!" he screamed as he flailed helplessly

"I'll tell you anything, just please stop hurting her!"

His face then froze with shock, as if he had just seen the worst thing imaginable.

"Oh babe, I'm so sorry. Steph, I love you."

Then he woke up.

I remained hidden in the shadows, frozen from what I had just witnessed.

He went to stand up, but his legs gave way and he slid back don onto the edge of the bed.

He ran his hands over his face and through his hair before he began to weep.

He buried his face in his hands and I took a small step closer to him.

His head lifted automatically as he felt my presence, his bloodshot eyes locked their gaze with mine.

"Babe?" he asked, as if unsure if I was really even there.

I took a few more steps into the light, until I was right in front of him.

"Yeah Ranger, it's me," I said soothingly.

At the sound of my voice he leapt off the bed, and gave me a searing, bone melting kiss, while he held me close.

He broke off the kiss and buried his face in my neck.

"I thought I'd lost you babe," he whispered, "I thought you were dead."

"Shh, Ranger. I'm here and I'm okay. No one is going to hurt me."

"They said they were going to hurt you babe." He said his voice rough with emotion. "They said they were going to hurt you to hurt me."

He gently lowered us to the bed where we sat, but holding each other before he pulled back and looked me in the eyes.

"The mission was already fucked up before I took it. It was a suicide mission, and at first I wasn't going to take it. But then they said if I came back, there was no more contract. So I stupidly took it. The enemy had an informant on my team and they kidnapped me and killed my men. They tortured me for days, until they realised I wouldn't tell them anything. I wouldn't react to the pain they inflicted on me, because I was trained for that. So the informant came up with an idea. He told the enemy all about you. They said that they would torture and rape you until I told them everything. And I almost did. I was about to say everything I possibly knew to save you, but then I got rescued and brought home.

Steph, every time I close my eyes I see you. You bloodied, beaten and dead. All because of me. If something ever happened to you I would never be able to forgive myself. You mean so much to me babe. Just the thought of you, home safe, was what kept me alive for most of my missions. I love you, Babe."

He reached out to stroke my cheek with his thumb; wiping away tears I hadn't realised had begun to fall.

"God, I love you so much. But Babe, I'm not the superhero you think I am. I'm just me, an ordinary man."

"And don't you forget that," I said as I leant forward to kiss the broken man before me.

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So there it is. Reviews, as always, welcomed.

**Love Peace and Rock always,**

**RockerBabe**


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